List of political parties in New Zealand

New Zealand national politics feature a pervasive party system. Usually, all members of Parliament’s unicameral House of Representatives belong to a political party. Independent MPs occur relatively rarely. While two primary parties do indeed dominate the political landscape, the country now more closely resembles a multi-party state, where smaller groups can reasonably expect to play a role in government. As of August 2011, eight parties have representatives in Parliament.

History

Political parties in New Zealand evolved towards the end of the nineteenth century out of interest groups and personal cliques. Most historians regard the Liberal Party, which began its rule in 1891, as the first real party in New Zealand politics. During the long period of Liberal Party control the party’s more conservative opponents founded the Reform Party, forming the original duopoly in the New Zealand parliament.

Gradually, Liberal and Reform found themselves working together more often, mostly in opposition to the growing Labour Party. After Labour eventually won office in 1935, the Liberals and Reform came together to form the National Party. Labour and National currently exist as the two main parties of New Zealand politics.

Over the years, a number of “third parties” or so-called “minor parties” developed, notably the Social Credit Party, the New Zealand Party, the Values Party, and the Alliance. However, the “first past the post” electoral system meant that regardless of how many votes a party gained nation-wide, it could not win a seat without a plurality in a particular electorate (voting district). Under such conditions, these parties mostly performed poorly in terms of making an impact in Parliament.

With the introduction of the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral system for the 1996 elections, however, it became much easier for smaller parties to enter parliament; but more difficult to gain election as a non-party independent. Since the change to MMP, about one third of the seats in Parliament have been held by MPs representing parties other than Labour and National. In the years before MMP, by contrast, there were sometimes no such MPs at all.

Registration of parties

Political parties in New Zealand can be either registered or unregistered. Registered parties must have five-hundred paying members, each eligible to vote in general elections.

If a party registers, it may submit a party list, enabling it to receive party votes in New Zealand’s MMP electoral system. Unregistered parties can only nominate candidates for individual electorates.

Registered political parties are also able to spend up to $1 million during the campaign for the party vote. All political parties are able to spend $20,000 per electorate seat.

Parties currently in the New Zealand House of Representatives

The order in which political parties appear in this list corresponds to the number of MPs they currently have. Note that political parties within the House declare their existence to theSpeaker, and do not need to be registered outside of the House.

Party

Leader(s)

Description

Seats

National Party

John Key

A centre-right, socially conservative party with some more liberal elements: e.g., support of same-sex marriage. The largest party in Parliament, it has traditionally been Labour’s main opponent. It supports a mixed economymarket, lower taxation, and less legislative interference.

59

Labour Party

David Cunliffe

A centre-left, socially progressive party. It is the oldest party in New Zealand and has been traditionally National’s main opponent. It is currently the second largest party in Parliament.

34

Green Party

Metiria Turei and

Russel Norman

A Green party with strong left-wing environmentalist influences. It also promotes highly progressive social policies.

14

New Zealand First

Winston Peters

A centrist, populist, and nationalist party. Its primary goals are reducing immigration, reducing Treaty of Waitangipayments, increasing sentences for crime, and buying back former state assets.

8

Māori Party

Tariana Turia and

Pita Sharples

A party based around New Zealand’s indigenous Māori minority. It crystallised in 2004 around Tariana Turia, a former minister of the Labour Party. It promotes what it sees as the rights and interests of Māori.

3

ACT

John Banks

A classically liberal party that promotes free market economics, low taxation, reduced government expenditure, and increased punishments for crime. It sees itself as promoting accountability and transparency in government.

1

Mana Party

Hone Harawira

A party based around New Zealand’s indigenous Māori minority that primarily supports Māori Nationalist and Socialist policies.

1

United Future

Peter Dunne

A moderately centrist party formerly with a strong Christian background: it describes itself as based around “common sense”. It has a particular focus on policies concerning the family and social issues.

1

Registered parties outside of Parliament

Parties listed in alphabetical order:

Party

Leader

Description

Alliance

Victor Billot andKay Murray

A left-wing party supporting the welfare state, free education, environmental protection, and Māori interests. The Progressive Party (see below) formed as a splinter group from the Alliance when Jim Anderton, former Alliance leader, left.

Conservative Party of New Zealand

Colin Craig

A socially conservative party advocating stricter law and order policies, repealing of the ETS and binding referenda.

Focus NZ

Joe Carr and Ken Rintoul

A party aimed at representing rural New Zealand.

NZ Democrats

Stephnie de Ruyter

A party based around the idea of Social Credit. The party formerly formed part of the Alliance (see above); previously, as the Social Credit Party, was one of the older surviving parties in New Zealand.

Legalise Cannabis Party

Michael Appleby

A party which (as its name suggests) supports the legalisation of cannabis. This remains the core of its platform, although it also comments on other issues that it considers related.

Unregistered parties

Parties listed in alphabetical order:

Party

Leader

Description

1Law4All Party

A party aimed at overturning the Treaty of Waitangi

Aotearoa NZ Youth Party

Robert Terry

Communist League

Unknown

A communist party aligned with the Pathfinder tendency. The party was originally called the Socialist Action League, but changed its name when it rejected Trotskyism and adopted a pro-Cuba stance. The party stands a small number of candidates in general elections.

Hapu Party

David Rankin

A Māori-based party established to challenge the Māori Party.

Human Rights Party

Unknown, founded by Anthony Ravlich.

A small party focused on human rights and social justice.

Internet Party

Kim Dotcom

Join Australia Movement Party

Robin Caithness

A party advocating union with Australia.

Libertarianz

Richard McGrath

A libertarian party dedicated to laissez-faire capitalism and keeping government as small as possible.

New Economics Party

Deirdre Kent and Phil Stevens

A party advocating reform of the banking and currency system.

Nga Iwi Morehu Movement

Unknown

A small Maori-based party which has been active in a number of elections

OurNZ Party

Kelvyn Alp and Rangitunoa Black

A party advocating a new currency, binding referenda, and a written constitution.[1]

Pakeha Party

David Ruck

A party opposing Māori separatism.

Pirate Party of New Zealand

Kirk Twist

An copyright reform party based on the Swedish Pirate Party, with a focus on other technologcial issues, like net neutrality

Sovereignty Party

Tony Corbett

Unknown. Has applied for broadcasting allocation for the 2011 election

Thrive New Zealand

David Ding

Party logo registered in August 2013. Advocating Direct Democracy via an online tool called RealVoice

Workers Party

Rebecca Broad

Formerly known as the Anti-Capitalist Alliance. A coalition of socialists and anti-globalisation activists.

Historical parties

Parties which held seats

Party

Existed

In Parliament

Description

Christian Democrats

1995–1998

1995–1996

A Christian party established by sitting National MP Graeme Lee. After briefly establishing the Christian Coalition (see above) with the Christian Heritage Party, the Christian Democrats secularised themselves, adopting the name “Future New Zealand”. Future New Zealand merged with United (see below) to form United Future New Zealand.

Christian Heritage NZ

1990–2006

1999

A party based around Christian conservative values. It supported policies to strengthen marriage and opposed abortion and same-sex unions.

Country Party

? – ?

1928–1938

A party established by members of the Farmers’ Union to promote the interests of the rural sector. It reflected to an extent social credit monetary theory, and believed that farmers were not treated fairly by banks and the corporate world.

Democratic Labour Party

1940–1943

1940–1943

A splinter from the Labour Party led by dissident MP John A. Lee. Lee, a socialist and social creditist, believed that the Labour Party had moved too far from its left-wing roots. The Labour Party hierarchy had expelled him after he repeatedly criticised its leadership.

Future New Zealand

1994–1995

1994–1995

A short-lived party established by Peter Dunne after he left the Labour Party. It integrated into the United New Zealand party. Not to be confused with a later party of the same name.

Independent Political Labour League

1905–1910

1908–1910

A small and short-lived left-wing party. It was the second organised party to win a seat in Parliament, withDavid McLaren winning the seat of Wellington East. In Parliament, the IPLL co-operated with the governingLiberal Party.

Labour Party (original)

1910–1912

1910–1912

A short-lived successor to the Independent Political Labour League. It functioned as one of the more moderate workers’ parties, opposing more radical groups like the Socialist Party. It should not be confused with themodern Labour Party, although a certain degree of continuity links the two.

Liberal Party

1891–1927

1891–1927

New Zealand’s first real political party. It provided the country with a number of prominent Prime Ministers, including John Ballance and Richard Seddon. With much of its traditional support undercut by the growingLabour Party, the remnants of the Liberals (known as the United Party) eventually merged with the Reform Party to form the modern National Party.

Liberal Party

1992 – 1996?

1992

A short-lived splinter from the National Party, formed by Hamish McIntyre and Gilbert Myles, two dissident National MPs who disagreed with the economic policies of Ruth Richardson. The Liberal Party quickly joined the Alliance, which the two saw as the principal opponent of Richardson and her ideological allies.

Mana Wahine Te Ira Tangata

1998–2001

1998–1999

A short-lived Māori feminist party established by Alliance (Mana Motuhake) defector Alamein Kopu. The party contested only one general election before vanishing.

Mauri Pacific

1999–2001

1999

A party established by several New Zealand First MPs shortly after a coalition between New Zealand First and the National Party broke down. Mauri Pacific remained allied to the National government, giving it crucial support, but none of the party’s MPs gained re-election in the 1999 elections.

NewLabour Party

1989–1991

1989–1991

A left-wing party established by former Labour MP Jim Anderton. It contested one election before joining with several other parties to establish the Alliance.

Pacific Party

2008–2010

2008–2008

A small party established by Taito Phillip Field aimed at advancing Pacific Peoples, as well as Christian and family values and social justice.

Progressive Party

2002-2012

2002-2011

A left-wing party with a focus on job creation and regional development, formed by Jim Anderton after the breakup of the Alliance.

Reform Party

1909–1936

1909–1936

New Zealand’s second major political party, established as a more conservative opponent to the Liberal Party. Its founder, William Massey, became its most prominent leader. It eventually merged with its former rivals, the Liberals, to form the modern National Party.

Social Credit Party

1953–1986

1966 – 1969

1979 – 1987

New Zealand’s “third party” between the 1960s and the 1980s. The Social Credit Party espoused the theory ofsocial credit, a type of monetary reform, although much of its support represented protest votes rather than support of its policies. It has since renamed itself, becoming the Democratic Party.

Social Democratic Party

1913–1916

1913–1916

An early left-wing party established at a “Unity Congress” in July 1913 as an attempt to bring together the various labour groups of the time. The party eventually amalgamated with the modern Labour Party.

Socialist Party (i)

1901–1913

? – 1913

One of the more prominent Marxist parties in early New Zealand, strongly associated with the Federation of Labour (the “Red Fed”). It eventually merged with the more moderate United Labour Party to form the Social Democratic Party.

United New Zealand

1995–2000

1995–2000

A centrist party established by moderate MPs from both National and Labour. The party did not achieve electoral success, with only one of the seven founding MPs managing to remain in parliament. United later merged with the Future New Zealand party to form the modern United Future New Zealand.

United Labour Party

1912–1913

1912–1913

A reformed continuation of the original Labour Party. The party existed only a short time before merging with the Socialist Party to form the Social Democratic Party, although a faction rejected the new SDP as too extreme and attempted to continue on under the United Labour Party banner.

United Party

1927–1936

1927–1936

A party formed from the remnants of the Liberal Party. United governed between 1928 and 1935, initially withLabour support and later in coalition with the Reform Party. It eventually merged with Reform to establish the modern National Party.

Probably New Zealand’s most prominent and long-lived communist organisation. The party generally pursued hard-line doctrines, successively following Stalin‘s Soviet Union, Mao Zedong‘s China, and Enver Hoxha‘s Albania. In 1993, the party moderated its stance, adopting Trotskyism. It later merged with another party to form the group now known as Socialist Worker.

A short-lived party established by Albert Davy, a prominent anti-socialist political organiser. It was primarily a breakaway from the larger People’s Movement, and Davy rejoined the Movement the year after the Co-operative Party was established.

A party established to promote the interests of the commercial sector and to oppose “socialist” legislation. The party contested the1935 elections, but failed to win any seats. Ironically, the votes which the Democrats took from the governing coalition may have assisted the victory of the left-wing Labour Party that year. The Democrat Party should not be confused with the modernDemocratic Party.

A party based around the Destiny Church, a Christian religious organisation. The party mostly campaigned on a family valuesplatform, and strongly opposed legislative changes such as the creation of same-sex civil unions and the legalisation of prostitution.

A party focused around New Zealand’s immigrant community, particularly Chinese and Indians. The popularity of New Zealand First, a party which opposed immigration, was a significant factor in its creation. It merged into United New Zealand, but little trace of it remains today.

A party established by two former members of ACT New Zealand. Its policies were intended to be similar to those of ACT, but the party’s founders said that the Freedom Party will be more democratic and accountable to its members.

A small environmentalist party. The Green Society believed that a true green party needed to be focused solely on the environment, and believed that the Green Party (then part of the Alliance) and the Progressive Green Party were both mistaken to take sides in economic and social debates.

The most prominent Māori-based party until the creation of the modern Māori Party. Mana Motuhake held a number of seats as part of the Alliance (see above), but most of its support has now been incorporated into the Māori Party.

A joke party intended to satirise politics in general. Among other deliberately absurd policies it advocated the “Great Leap Backwards”, a project to reverse the industrial revolution and to re-establish a medieval way of life.

A far right party which wished to stop non-white immigration, reintroduce capital punishment and conscription, withdraw from international organisations such as the United Nations, and nullify the Treaty of Waitangi. It is sometimes accused of being a neo-Nazi group, and although the party denies this it is openly racist.

A party established by property tycoonBob Jones to promote free market economic policies and liberal social policies. It gained twelve percent of the vote in its first election, but then vanished almost completely. Some regard the modern ACT party as the New Zealand Party’s ideological successor, but not everyone accepts this view.

A party dedicated to promoting the interests of the hunting, fishing, and shooting communities. Outdoor Recreation New Zealand contested the 2005 election under the banner of the United Future party, although the parties did not actually merge. This working arrangement met with disappointing results.

A right-wing organisation which supported reductions in the size of government and a reform of the party system. It was a strong supporter of individualism, saying that the government of the time was advocating the subordination of the individual to the state.

A small Dunedin-based grouping, founded by Gerald Williams, who saw the then Labour Party as moribund and in need of aphoenix-like resurrection. Williams became an effective propagandist, penning campaign literature disguised as parodies of well-known songs. He later transferred his efforts to the Values Party.

An environmentalist party established in opposition to the generally left-wing policies of the larger Green Party. It contested only one election before vanishing, although many of its members became active in the National Party.

A splinter group of the Communist Party (see above). It formed around Communist Party members who rejected their party’s decision to take China’s side in the Sino-Soviet split. The Socialist Unity Party became one of the more prominent communist parties in New Zealand.

A party focused on establishing a Republic in New Zealand. It also supports the adoption of a written constitution, the holding of referendums on major issues, and the abolition of race-specific government institutions.